


Let Me Share Your Pain

by MutedSilence



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Arguing, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Hurt Stephen Strange, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Stephen Strange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29987421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MutedSilence/pseuds/MutedSilence
Summary: Tony begins to feel stronger and better than ever. He doesn’t question it, not when his movements are quicker and his mind is sharper. His anxieties and pain appear to have diminished altogether. And the next time he’s facing a villain he finds there’s barely a scratch on him. Funnily enough Doctor Strange looks ten times worse himself after battles lately, even in ones he hardly has a hand in. Tony slowly discovers that Stephen cast a spell to absorb all of Tony’s injuries as his own.
Relationships: Tony Stark & Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 3
Kudos: 89





	Let Me Share Your Pain

**Author's Note:**

> This is my response to a prompt. (https://ironstrangeprompts.tumblr.com/post/645332519538098176/prompt-994-tony-begins-to-feel-stronger-and)
> 
> So, in this, we pretend that Endgame didn't happen. Tony never got with Pepper. Also, Tony and Stephen are kind of friends. I just felt like cutting out all the bits I didn't like - and as an author, I can do that. One day, when I'm no longer bitter, I'll write an Endgame fix-it, because that film had some issues that I'm not over. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like it. I love this pairing so much.

Tony was a fighter. He always had been and he most certainly always would be. He wouldn't let anyone break him down. That's what it took to be a hero - not that he was one of course. Tony would always come back stronger. Well, stronger in will power, the fights hurt like a bitch. And he certainly felt them the next morning. 

There was an explosion - tore apart an entire floor of a building. Tony was close, and in true Stark fashion, rushed in without a plan. As his suit materialised around him, Tony started to direct pedestrians away. Shouting over the screaming civilians at Friday. Calling in any help he could get. Sending a distress call so that they could control the surroundings. It would take a few minutes before emergency services could get close enough to help. 

He surged into the building to save anyone who got stuck inside. The building was unstable. Incredibly unstable. 

"Friday, scan for people!" A digital image showed in front of his eyes, showing the positioning of the people stuck. 

"Sir, we have four alive, but not moving. A further eight are making their way to an exit. The priority would be those not moving." Tony got to work. Pushing through the debris. 

He tried to clear a path - fixing supports with his nanotech - extinguishing the smaller fires. He left behind small lights along the path he had created. They would help not only him find his way out, but those who could move. He met a few people as he made his way to the first body. He counted down as he worked. 

_ 12…  _

_ 11… _

_ 10, 9… _

_ 8, 7, 6…  _

A few of those that could walk, pulled out some that were unconscious. 

The building was collapsing around him. With two people left, Tony pushed forward. His suit hardly covered his body as it was spread across the support beams. 

"Sir, the structure is severely compromised. There is not much time left." 

Tony shrugged the warning away -  _ Don't think of it, just work faster. _

He found the people. One had a head wound and someone was looming over them trying to pull them from the wreckage. Tony took hold of one side of the unconscious man, letting the other man take the other side.  _ They need to move fast. _ The building was collapsing around them. He could hear the sirens ahead of them - they followed the path of light. Soot falling around them. They could hardly see the light path that had been created. They pushed forward. Praying that the structure could hold long enough for them to get out. 

A butterfly. He was certain, there was a butterfly ahead of him. A soft blue glow coming from around it. Another joined. Then another. The small blue light had turned into a moving beacon - directing Tony outside. 

They were moving too slow. Friday was sending warnings through his ear. They didn't have long. The butterflies showed them out, but they couldn't do any more to help. Mustering all his strength, Tony lifted the unconscious man. Yelling at the other man to follow the butterflies as fast as he could.  _ No use all three of them getting stuck. If he could save just one more… _

The man ran, stumbling on the rubble. Bricks fell around Tony. Using the last of his suit, he tried to protect the man from the falling debris, covering him in nanotech. Tony was left exposed. It didn't matter. Not really, not when someone else needs it more. 

The butterflies' glow was being washed out by the light of day. He was drawing close. "Mr Stark!" 

_ Dammit, kid!  _ Straining his eyes, he could see Peter helping the civilians. When he sent the distress call, he never meant it for Peter - the kid's supposed to be in school. 

A deafening screech came from above him, the support was breaking. "Peter!" The man was ripped from Tony's grip. Being pulled to safety. Leaving Tony behind, he had stumbled. Unable to be torn from the wreckage. Large amounts of concrete fell as the ceiling caved in above him.

The butterflies disappeared in a wisp of blue smoke. 

Tony was buried. 

"TONY!" 

His arm was trapped, the only light coming from his chest. But he saved the civilians. Tony let his head fall back on the rubble - he just had to hold tight and not lose consciousness. Peter was outside, he would get someone. 

He could hear someone calling his name. He couldn't pinpoint who it was. He certainly recognised the voice. His eyes slipped closed. His arm was being crushed, probably broken. His lungs stung with the smoke and dust he was breathing in. 

A light came from behind his eyelids. The voice was calling him again. His breathing was stuttering. He couldn't cry out. 

The weight was being lifted. The rocks became lighter. The light behind his eyes began to hurt. "Tony!" He turned his head to face the light. Forcing his eyes to open. 

He could see outside. Peter was staring at him, standing in shock. Police and random people staring at him. "Tony! I'm coming, hold on." He looked over. Stephen's hands were covered in the orange rings. He was moving frantically. Tony looked around - his eyesight was blurry. Stephen was moving the rubble off him. Tony looked above him, the rings of light were covering the rubble above him, holding it off his body. He looked back over at Stephen. Wong had joined him, the weight was being lifted from his arm. 

Before he could move, Stephen's cloak had rushed in, wrapping around Tony. Tony was pulled from the wreckage, cradled in Stephen's cloak. He was slipping. The warmth of the cloak pulling him into unconsciousness. 

The rings had faded from around Stephen. Wong was still working. Peter had broken from his shock and was back to helping anyone that needed it. Tony had been placed on the floor by Stephen's feet, still wrapped tightly in the cocoon of the cloak. Stephen crouched down beside him. Placing a hand on Tony's head. "How are you? Friday, give me his status." 

The voice calmed him. The hand grounded him. He felt safe. His eyes slipped shut. "Vitals okay, small break in the right arm, his heart rate has calmed, but lungs are full of soot. Should be fine after a few days." Tony opened his eyes again, Stephen was looking down at him. What looked like relief filling his eyes. He gave a nod. 

Stephen created one of his portals and turned back to Tony, picking him up from the floor. The cloak was still holding on tight. Stephen looked down at him as he stepped through the gateway. 

Tony didn't recognise the room. It was dark and held hardly anything in. Tony was placed on the bed. It was soft and large. Stephen manoeuvred Tony so that he was underneath the blankets. It smelt familiar, but he couldn't say exactly what the smell was, he just knew he liked it. The cloak slipped away, leaving him under the blankets. 

Stephen was standing above him, the gateway was still open behind him. "Do not move, you will stay here until you're recovered. Understood?" Tony didn't answer. He was in no position to disagree anyway. He surrendered to the softness of the bed. His eyes slipping shut as a green light was cast from Stephen's hand. 

* * *

Tony awoke. The blankets held him down. He turned to burrow into the bed. Moving to lay on his right side instead of his back. He snuggled further into the bed. He felt safer than he ever had. He had no burning desire to get up and fight. He felt like lying down and relaxing. It was a foreign feeling. 

He opened his eyes. Beside the bed, Stephen sat, an open book in his lap. He looked more relaxed than he ever had. His usual attire abandoned for… what looked like pyjamas. He was looking down at Tony. "How are you feeling?" A smile was playing at Stephen's mouth. Tony closed his eyes again. 

His brain had taken a few seconds to catch up. He had broken his arm. He had been crushed by a building for christ's sake. He shot up to look at his arm. A soft chuckling came from beside him. He looked back to Stephen. "I am a Doctor, and as you tend to put it, a wizard. You're fine. Good as new in fact. Ready to take on the world, although I would urge against trying to lift another building," Tony stared at him, open-mouthed. He was certain he hadn't heard right. Stephen continued, "Um, you're welcome to stay. You certainly seem to like the bed. But, uh, I'm pretty tired so I will be claiming the other side of the bed." 

Tony looked into Stephen's eyes and sat up straighter. He brought his hand up to rub at his face. "Why would you climb in bed with me?" 

At a heartier chuckle, Tony looked back up. "Because it's my bed." 

Tony scrambled up further. Looking around the room. There was a wardrobe, desk, and plenty of books. It was pretty bare but screamed Stephen Strange. Tony was reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed, but there was no way he could stay. "Sorry, I'll get out of your hair." His body was tired and made a slight protest at moving. It was strange, he should have been unconscious, even if he had been healed, he would have been tired. He may not have been a doctor, but he knew that healing required stamina. He should have been dead to the world. 

"I said that it's no bother. You can stay if you want, or I could create a gateway to drop you home?" Tony looked into Stephen's eyes again. He looked tired. Not just tired in fact, he looked like he could collapse and sleep for a week. Tony needed to get out of his way. He was only offering because he was too tired and too polite. 

Tony nodded and swung his legs from the bed. Preparing to leave. Stephen stood and opened a gateway to Tony's room. With a nod of farewell, Tony stepped through. The ring-closing around his view of Stephen. 

* * *

Tony had been in four fights. Four. And each one he came out perfectly fine. It made no sense. He should have been in pain, he should have been tired. Instead, he felt stronger than ever. Not only had his strength increased, but his nightmares had also stopped. It was weird. Not to mention slightly unsettling. He hardly slept in fear of the memories he would be forced to relive at night. Now? Now, he slept peacefully and for longer than ever. He didn't want to look into it too much. He couldn't risk them coming back. 

Stephen showed up more often. To each fight, in fact. Each time he looked as if he could pass out, but he kept moving. He would always show up, help Tony fight, then disappear without a word. 

It pissed Tony off. He didn't know why, but it did. Strange would just show up, and not say a word. It was as if he thought Tony couldn't handle it on his own. 

* * *

Some insane guy had decided to go on a rampage. Destroying anything and everything in his path. He had gotten his hands on some decommissioned Stark weapons. So Tony went in. 

They stood in the middle of the street. He would try to talk him down before he took action. The man just stood and shot the buildings around. Tony didn't know if anyone was in there. He couldn't take action without knowing. He couldn't risk any innocent people being harmed. 

"Look! Look, I don't know why you're doing this. Can you at least tell me? Where did you even get those? We stopped selling those in the '90s." The man stopped shooting. Tony let out a small victory at that. The weapon was turned on him.  _ Okay, not good. _ He held up his hands in an attempt at calming the man. He had clearly snapped. Tony needed to get the situation under control. The weapon was taken off the market due to instability if he remembered correctly. 

The man looked up above Tony. Hesitantly, Tony follows his gaze. 

Above him was Stephen. His cloak billowing around him as he came in for a landing. Tony looked back at the man. He had turned his weapon to face Stephen. A rush of panic coursed through Tony. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tony shot once at the man, sending him flying back. 

Stephen landed beside him, "Are you okay?" 

Tony bristled, his helmet falling back so he could look at Stephen face to face. That was how it always went. He would show up, looking like death, and ask if he was okay. He could handle one crazy guy without Stephen flying in. He expressed this. "What the hell are you doing here? It's one guy, he was going to shoot you," Stephen took a step back at the outburst, "Seriously, you don't have to-"

Stephen cut in, "- Don't what? He was about to shoot me? He was going to shoot you first-"

"-No, no. He was going to shoot me because I came here to stop him. He was going to shoot you because you decided to swan-"

"Oh, please. This is the thanks I get. Distracted him didn't I? Or, did you want to be shot today?" 

Tony and Stephen had moved closer to each other. Their voices carrying through the street. Each man pulled to their full height. Tony opened his mouth, his retort on the tip of his tongue. He was stopped before it came when a blast sent him back. 

He sat up, completely unharmed. Almost as if he hadn't been hit. But, the missile stuck in his suit proved he had been. He looked down at it, raising his hand to pull it out of the metal. The second his hand wrapped around it, it blew up. The fire licking around his bare face, and forcing him back again. 

When his sight cleared, he could see the cloak wrapped around the man's face, holding down. His own face felt perfectly fine. It was just another example of being miraculously unharmed. The police had arrived and moved in. Taking over from the cloak and arresting the man. Gingerly taking the weapon. Tony would call Happy and tell him to sort it. He was good at that. 

Tony looked towards Stephen. He was still there, just where Tony had left him. This time, however, he was crouched on the floor. His face in his hands. He hadn't left. His cloak was still with the police. Tony flew over to him. "What the hell is your deal, Strange?!" 

He didn't answer. Tony looked down at him. Stephen was wrecked. His hair was burnt, his hands shaking more than Tony had ever seen. Letting the suit open around him, Tony stepped out and crouched beside Stephen. He flinched. Sharply pulling away, his hands never falling from his face. Something was wrong. He was panting. He rubbed at his face. Tony was certain that he had taken the hit, leaving Stephen untouched. They couldn't have been that close together that he took all the force. Tony was the one who had the missile in his chest, not Stephen. 

Tony shifted and laid a hand on Stephen's shoulder. He was aware of all the people that had crowded around them. They needed to leave, before the onslaught of cameras. "Hey, Stephen, what's wrong?" His tone was gentle, that time. A soothing voice that he didn't realise he had in him. 

A shuddering breath and Stephen finally spoke. He sounded broken, "I'm okay, Tony. Just a little winded. Don't worry about me." The tone of his voice in complete contrast to the words spoken. 

Tony rubbed Stephen's shoulder. "It didn't even look like he hit you." The words were more for him than for Stephen. 

He almost missed it. It was so quiet. "He didn't." 

A cold flush ran through Tony. He reached forward and took Stephen's hands away from his face. Stephen tried to fight, but he just wasn't strong enough. He looked as if he had been viciously attacked. His face had burns and bruises covering them. Most of the bruises looked old, up close he could see them. It didn't make sense, he would always keep his distance. Never getting close enough to be hurt. Then how? The last time Tony had been this close to Stephen was when the building collapsed and Tony woke in his bed. 

When Tony stopped getting hurt. 

When Stephen started showing up to every fight. 

Tony stood and stepped back. He couldn't talk here. The cameras were out. Letting his suit close around him, he looked down at Stephen. Tony reached down and took hold of Stephen's clothes. Pulling him in close as he flew away from the prying eyes. His cloak followed and attached to him. Tony's fist remained clasped on the front of his chest. 

They flew from prying eyes. 

"Talk."

They were still in the air, hardly moving. Stephen was limp, Tony had him in a death grip, not like the cloak would let him fall. Stephen raised his eyes to fix on Tony's. "What do you want to talk about?" 

It irked him. He knew, he just wouldn't offer the information. "What happened before I woke up?" They both knew what he meant. Tony knew he would get the information from Stephen. He wouldn't let him go unless he got it. 

Stephen broke eye contact. His face was a mess. Looking at it made Tony's stomach fall. A weight resting in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't look at him. "I healed you." 

"What do you mean by that?" 

"I'm a doctor-" 

"Don't give me that bullshit. We both know that something has been off since I woke up." 

"It was a simple spell, it would literally cause no issues for you." 

"What the hell does that even mean? And I swear if you don't-"

"You can't be hurt!" Stephen had exploded. Tony's grip had slacked slightly at the surprise. 

He pushed forward with his questioning. He was certain Stephen could see the confusion on his features. "What-"

"I cast a spell so that you can't be hurt anymore. You were unconscious, I was healing your arm and thought-"

"That makes no sense," Tony's head was spinning. Nothing was making sense, if he couldn't be hurt, then why was Stephen,  _ Oh. _ "You." 

Stephen looked into Tony's eyes again. His face softened as he looked at him. He looked so young. Tony's heart lurched. "It was a simple spell. All your pain is transferred to me. You can't be hurt." 

Tony's jaw dropped as he took in the information. He couldn't get hurt, but every time he did, Stephen would take it all.  _ No. _ He suddenly felt violently ill. He couldn't take that. He couldn't accept that. "Why?" It was nothing more than a whisper. "Why would you do that? I can take it! I don't need you fighting my battles for me! I'm perfectly capable!" He had started shouting again. His grip tightening around Stephen, pulling him closer. 

Stephen grabbed hold of Tony's fist. His face hardened as Tony shouted at him. "Because I can't see you like that again!" Stephen was shouting back, giving it his all. "I can't see you hurt again," his voice was breaking as he shouted at Tony. "I can't take it! It's entirely selfish, but when you get hurt, it hurts me! I might as well just take the pain head-on! Then it doesn't hurt as much to see you get knocked down!" His voice faded and his eyes filled with unshed tears. His hands fell and he sagged again. All the fight fading from him. "I can't lose you." He whispered. It was enough for Tony to hear. 

Tony's grip loosened completely, he let Stephen fall. The cloak caught him and pulled him back up. Tony looked forward expressionlessly. 

He didn't know how long he had stayed there. Stephen stayed in front of him, unmoving. The words seemed to sink in for both of them. Tony was certain he had heard it right. It was taking him longer to process than usual. 

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Tony grabbed Stephen's hand and flew in the direction of his home. He needed familiar ground. Stephen followed without pause, but Tony didn't let go. He needed to be grounded, and Stephen's hand in his own was the only thing that could do that. 

* * *

Stephen had sat down when they arrived. He didn't move. Tony was restless. It was too much. The weight in his stomach had gotten larger. He couldn't look at Stephen without knowing that he was the one who had done it to him. In a way at least. That was his pain on Stephen's body. He could never ask that of him. He felt sick. 

Tony finally sat. He pulled the chair in front of Stephen. There were only a few years between them, but he looked so much younger. Stephen looked defeated. He looked broken. He didn't look up at Tony. "Tell me, please. The truth this time. Nothing vague, I need to understand why." 

Stephen looked up at Tony. The sick feeling had filled his stomach again. He just wanted to wipe all the pain away. He wanted to heal him, take care of him. Just hold him until he was better. "I- It hurt to see you under the rubble. I hated to see you getting hurt anyway, you just throw yourself into danger without thought. I worry. How can I not?" He looked away again. Collecting himself, he took a deep breath and tried to stifle a wince. Tony's heart lurched again. "Look, I really like you. I can't see you in pain. I don't regret it, even if eventually it killed me, because then, you'd still be here." 

Tony sat back. The weight in his stomach grew to suffocate him. "You're an idiot," Stephen looked back at Tony. Moisture trapped in the corners of his eyes. "How do you think it makes me feel to see you like this? And knowing that I'm the reason you're hurt right now," Tony felt strung out. He felt exactly how Stephen looked. With a sniff, he continued talking. Forcing himself to finish. "I like you too, you dick." 

They both sat there. Their confessions just hung in the air around them, attracting electricity above their heads. "What do you mean?" Stephen was the one to break the silence. 

Tony gave him a watery smile. The confusion that was spread across Stephen's face was endearing. Tony leant forward. Each inch closer seemed to lift the weight in his stomach. He whispered against Stephen's lips, "Lift the spell." 

They pressed in close to each other. A silent promise to share their pain for as long as they could. They pressed closer together. Tony moved carefully to not hurt Stephen further. He'd been through enough. 

Tony did manage to bury himself in Stephen's bed again. There was something about it that made it better than any bed he had ever slept on. He put that down to the body beside him. His nightmares had returned when the spell was broken, but when he pressed his face against Stephen's bare skin, they seemed to fade again. 

Neither man took the pain alone again. They shared their pain the same way they shared their lives. 


End file.
